Not Only is DIE HARD one of the great Action movies, It is a GREAT Christmas movie!

Bruce Willis is brilliant as NYPD’s John McClane!

Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber became the model for bad guys for a decade, and the future Snape in the Harry Potter films!

And Reginald VelJohnson eventually starred in an unofficial spinoff after his portrayal of Sgt. Al Powell!

Having  just re-watched this movie, it makes me want to go back to 1988, when life was simpler, to take on Euro-trash thieves and bad guys of all sorts!

Well, in a way, I HAVE!

If you’ve somehow forgotten the story, an NYPD police officer, who is estranged from his wife and family, flies to LA on Christmas Eve to visit them.

He goes directly to the Nakatomi Plaza, a high rise office building in Century City…

After meeting a few of the folks at the office, mayhem ensues!

A battle of wits and survival takes over as McClane must find a way to beat these guys and save his wife, with only Al Powell on the ground giving him any outside support.

The FBI, which includes Robert Davi (a friend of The Podwits!), eventually take over…!

The results are historic and formed a pattern for future action movies making everything that came out after it “DIE HARD IN A…………!”

And you name it, it was tried!

I was recently able to spend time in Los Angeles for “business”, and made my way to a very iconic location…

NAKATOMI PLAZA!

The FOX PLAZA was the recently built, but not quite finished, new home of 20th CENTURY FOX turned out to be the perfect location for the terrorist takeover,…and not a bad tax write off either for the FOX corporate accountants!

I walked around the building for quite some time, and I was stunned at how much I felt I was actually at the Nakatomi Plaza!  The facades and driveway are the same, and the neighborhood is amazingly similar to 1988.  I even stayed at an adjoining hotel prominently seen in the wide shots!

The topper for this ho-ho-ho holiday film is the music!

Between the Beethoven and contemporary Christmas tunes, Michael Kamen’s score is exciting!  

And even a surprise James Horner piece is in the finale, giving it a Star Trek II/Aliens feel!

I suggest this Christmas, you break out a Bing Crosby sweater, pour yourself a Scotch, and gather the family to re-watch this Christmastime classic!

 

TIBERIUS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action-packed Comments and emails Encouraged Tiberius@Podwits.com

  1. Ste Hope says:

    I often thought of Die Hard as one of my favourite Christmas films. I mean john mclane actually saves Christmas, and reunites with his wife. Usually when i tell people die hard is a. Christmas film they look at me like i am a mental. I get the same reaction when i tell folks that Gremlins is awesome Christmastime fodder